This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 199 10 763.7, filed Mar. 11, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a device for opening and closing a tailgate, in particular a pivotable tailgate, which covers a folding-top compartment. Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to a device for opening and closing a pivotable tailgate which covers a folding-top compartment into which a pivotable roof structure for a convertible hardtop vehicle can be deposited, an auxiliary frame being provided on the tailgate in order to carry out the pivoting movement, on which auxiliary frame at least one hydraulic cylinder driving element is arranged, the hydraulic cylinder being provided with a sheathed cable which enables a locking wedge, which is arranged on the auxiliary frame and in a closed position of the tailgate is locked in a receiving part fixed on the body, to be released in a first movement phase of the hydraulic cylinder, which movement phase is provided for opening the tailgate.
A device of the generic type is disclosed, for example, in German Patent Document DE 195 16 877 C1 .
The device disclosed in the abovementioned publication relates to hardtop vehicles having a two-part roof structure which can be deposited in a folding-top compartment below a tailgate in the rear region of the vehicle. In this arrangement, the folding-top compartment is closed by way of a tailgate both in the open driving state of the vehicle and in the closed driving state of the vehicle. The tailgate is supported pivotably via an auxiliary frame in the region of respective pivot bearings which are fixed on the body and are provided in each case on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In the closed position of the tailgate, the auxiliary frame is arranged on the vehicle body, for example in the region of the wheelhouse, via a supporting connection. The supporting connection has a receiving part which is fastened on the body and in which the auxiliary frame can be supported in a crash-stable manner. In this case, a peg part, which is connected to the auxiliary frame and has a locking wedge, engages in the receiving part with a force fit and/or in an interlocking manner.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the locking wedge is introduced into the receiving part by means of the hydraulic cylinder, which is provided for opening and for closing the tailgate. An angular position of the hydraulic cylinder which deviates from the direction in which the locking wedge is locked into the receiving part causes the auxiliary frame to become distorted. This leads to problems when adjusting the auxiliary frame or the tailgate. Moreover, an increase in the power required at the hydraulic cylinder is necessary.
For the general prior art, reference is furthermore made to European Patent Document EP 0 304 357 B1 and German Patent Document DE 41 29 706 A1.
The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a device for opening and closing a tailgate, which device makes it possible for the tailgate to be locked and released reliably, and prevents distortion of the auxiliary frame and an increase in the power required at the hydraulic cylinder.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a device of the above noted type, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is mounted at a vehicle body part by means of a slot, and wherein the hydraulic cylinder is provided with a locking and release element on which at least one actuating-cable part is arranged in such a manner that the locking wedge can be locked in the receiving part and released therefrom by the free movement of the hydraulic cylinder resulting from the slot.
The locking and release element, which is arranged on the hydraulic cylinder, enables the free movement resulting from the slot of the hydraulic cylinder to be used for locking the locking wedge in the receiving part and releasing it therefrom, by means of an appropriate arrangement of the at least one actuating-cable part. An increase in the power expended by the hydraulic cylinder is therefore no longer necessary, since the actuating-cable part carrying out the locking and release of the locking wedge can be arranged in such a manner that unlike previously, the flow of power does not act obliquely, but in the intended direction. The auxiliary frame is thereby prevented in an advantageous manner from becoming distorted.
The hydraulic cylinder, which is provided with the locking and release element, and the at least one actuating-cable part make it possible for both the hydraulic cylinder and the auxiliary frame to be of correspondingly smaller dimensions, and therefore to be designed more cost-effectively and easily.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.